Equine Business Seminar Offered at Equestrian Center

Back by popular demand, Albion College's Held Equestrian Center and the firm of Grant, Millman & Johnson, P.C., present "Are You Ready for the IRS?" a workshop for horse owners and horse-related entrepreneurs. The program takes place Saturday, January 26, from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Held Equestrian Center.

The seminar will be led by Jacob R. Strecker, director of equine services at Grant, Millman & Johnson. Strecker has 35 years' experience with income tax, accounting, and management issues facing horse businesses and their owners. He is the author of “Letter from the Dark Side," a series of articles on developing a successful horse-centered business.

The Albion seminar will address numerous topics, including IRS audits, employees and subcontractors, and federal and state tax laws impacting horse-related business.

Registration for the seminar is $25/person and should be made before Friday, January 24. For more information or to register, contact Held Equestrian Center Office Manager Carolyn Killewald,
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or 517/629-0836.

'Pumpkin Chunkers' Sought for Equestrian Club Contest

Fruit will be flying at the Albion College Equestrian Club's first annual Pumpkin Chunkin' contest Friday, November 2 at the Held Equestrian Center, located 1/4 mile south of the intersection of 29 Mile Road and Albion-Concord Road in Albion. Setup begins at 4:30 p.m., with a 5 p.m. launch.

According to Equestrian Club member Alyssa Olson, "pumpkin chunkin'" is the sport of launching pumpkins with team-built catapults. Although complicated catapult plans are available on the Internet, Olson stressed that their competition is focused on fun. "Two sticks in the ground with an exercise band works great," she said. "We want this to be something kids and families can get involved in."

Along with the contest, the Equestrian Club will sell homemade concessions.

The contest entry fee is $20/team. The Equestrian Club will supply pumpkins but not catapult materials. For a complete list of rules, see http://www.facebook.com/events/449158565126310/?ref=ts&fref=ts or contact organizer Heather Waldron,
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, or contact the Held Equestrian Center, 517/629-0836.

Britons Find Success at IHSA National Championship

The 14 hour drive to Raleigh, North Carolina didn't seem to have an effect on the riding abilities of Albion stock seat riders Katie Petchell (Pinckney/Pinckney) or Morgan Carey (Hemlock/St. Charles Community), as both girls made their debut appearances at the IHSA National Championship show May 2-4.Junior Katie Petchell drew Peppy for her Open reining ride at the 2012 IHSA National Championships. (Photo credit: Mark King)

Both riders qualified as individuals for the event, which featured 400 college equestrians from 189 colleges and universities across the country. Petchell, a junior, finished eleventh in the Open reining event and Carey, having just completed her first year at Albion, finished seventh in Intermediate horsemanship.

Albion's stock seat team is the youngest of its three intercollegiate teams and its strong showing during the 2011-2012 competition season was undeniable. Three individuals from the team - Petchell, Cary, and first-year rider Chantal Chuba (Grosse Pointe Park/Grosse Pointe South) moved through IHSA Regionals to compete in the Semi-Final competition at Florida State University in March. While there, Petchell and Carey drew the same horse for their respective classes and had the same level of success when they stamped their tickets to Nationals in Raleigh.

After a summer hiatus, the Albion College stock seat team will return to action in the new school year this fall.

Levy Named Reserve National Champion

With a score of 69.472% and a nearly flawless ride at First Level, senior Lauren Levy (Amherst, MA/Stoneleigh Burnham School)capped her collegiate equestrian career with a reserve championship at the Intercollegiate Dressage Association (IDA) National Championship hosted by Centenary College in Hackettstown, New Jersey.

Levy made her intercollegiate dressage debut last fall after spending the early years of her Albion College career as a member of the school's hunt seat team. A multifaceted rider, she competes her own horse, Ultair's Bailey in both jumping and dressage competitions and in March, she was a member of the Albion Prix de Villes dressage team that secured a third place finish at Lake Erie College.

Also qualifying as individuals for the IDA National Championship were junior Alyssa Olson (Clarkston/Clarkston) and first-year student Paige Gustafson (Dexter/Dexter). Olson had previously attended Nationals as a first-year student as part of Albion's team and in her first individual appearance netted a fifth place finish in the Lower Training division. Gustafson was the first Albion first-year student to secure an individual berth to Nationals and came in twelfth at Upper Training.

"I was incredibly proud of all three of my riders," said dressage coach and interim equestrian director Danielle Menteer. "They have really improved all season and each one of them came to Nationals prepared and focused on what they needed to do to be successful. Their strong finishes were just the icing on the cake."

Levy will graduate from Albion on Saturday and has already secured a position with Amerigroup Corporation. Olson and Gustafson will spend the summer training at home and return to Albion in the fall.